One Year In: Data Usage Surged During Pandemic
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The Briefing
- In 2020, average in-home data usage in the U.S. increased by 18% compared to 2019
- Activity reached its peak in the spring, during the initial stages of the pandemic
- While overall consumption grew in 2020, the share of use across devices remained fairly consistent
One Year In: Data Usage Surged During COVID-19 Pandemic
Americans spent a lot of time at home last year, as offices closed, schools shut down, and cities went into full-blown lockdown in an effort to flatten the curve.
Because of this, in-home data consumption in the U.S. surged. To provide some perspective, this graphic shows the average monthly data usage in 2020 compared to 2019.
Percent Change by Month
At the start of 2020, data consumption was up 16% compared to 2019, driven largely by streaming boxes and smart TVs.
But by March (when the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic) usage had spiked, with a 28% increase compared to the year prior.
| Month (2020) | YoY Change |
|---|---|
| January | 16% |
| February | 16% |
| March | 28% |
| April | 36% |
| May | 30% |
| June | 14% |
| July | 13% |
| August | 19% |
| September | 14% |
| October | 11% |
| November | 19% |
| December (1-27) | 12% |
Interestingly, March’s increase was largely driven by phones (43%), smart TVs (41%), and streaming boxes (36%), while PC/Mac consumption experienced a low increase in comparison (9%).
However, more Americans started using their PC/Macs from home in April, presumably because of the shift to remote work. From spring onward, desktop usage growth hovered at around 20-25%. And by December, PC/Mac use had grown 34% compared to the year prior.
Usage by Device
It’s worth noting that, while overall data consumption increased in 2020, people’s consumption habits didn’t change all that much.
| Device | Share of Use (2019) | Share of Use (2020) | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart TV | 20% | 23% | 3% |
| Gaming Console | 26% | 23% | -3% |
| PC/Mac | 11% | 11% | -- |
| Phone | 6% | 6% | -- |
| Smart Speaker | 1% | 1% | -- |
| Streaming Box/Stick | 32% | 32% | -- |
| Tablet | 4% | 4% | -- |
In fact, when it came to the share of use across devices, the only ones to see any change were smart TVs and gaming consoles.
At least some things remained relatively normal in 2020.
Disclosure: This material has been distributed for informational purposes only. It is the opinion of the author and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any ...
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